YuGiOh! Delta: Methods and Materials
by Rebster6
Summary: In this story, our unfortunate gang of Number hunters have yet another meetup with... guess who? Yep, it's everyone's second favourite mad scientist, Doctor Lithon! Also, the editor gets really annoyed with the site's proofreading system. Enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

Matt awoke with a glimmer of hope.

He was surprised with himself, as there was very little to be hopeful about. A few days ago, his teammate Dan had foolishly engaged in a rematch with Skyler, their greatest adversary. The results had been catastrophic. Dan had lost to one of the most powerful Numbers they'd ever experienced (yet they never actually saw the monster that dealt the final blow), and as per their agreement, Skyler had extracted all of Dan's Numbers. The aftermath was that Dan's mind and soul had been irreparably damaged, and he was now suffering with amnesia. He couldn't remember Skyler, the Numbers, his friends, or any of their past experiences. Even his best friend had remained a stranger to him.

Yesterday had been particularly tough, and it had only served to show Matt exactly what Skyler had done to their team. While Matt had been dueling, and had collected two new Numbers, the remaining four members of Team Delta had started bickering amongst themselves. James yelled at Dan, Dan reprimanded James, Leah defended Dan and got angry with James, and poor Katie was stuck in the middle, wanting to stick up for her boyfriend but knowing he was in the wrong.

And Matt could do nothing about it. Words couldn't fix a wound like this. He was being forced to stand by and watch as his friends were torn away from each other around him.

He had already decided. He wouldn't lose another friend over this. If he ever saw Skyler again, he was going to kill him.

Nevertheless, he decided to push these dark thoughts out of his head for the moment, and instead focussed on the positives. _'Maybe they'll be better today,' _he reasoned. _'Maybe it was all a bit much yesterday, and all they needed was a quick rest.' _He kept this mind-set even as he was getting dressed, so that when he went to leave his room, he was feeling slightly elated, and all the troubles of the past few days seemed lessened.

It didn't last.

He had half convinced himself that when he opened his door, he'd find everyone happy and laughing together like they used to, but from the moment he stepped out of his room, he knew it wasn't going to happen. The TV was on – a first for them, as they spent so much time chatting that they hardly ever used it – and Dan and Leah were sitting on the sofa in front of it, watching a news program in stony silence. James sat up the dining table, engrossed in his laptop and steadfastly ignoring everyone around him. And Katie was in the kitchen, fixing breakfast by herself, another first. She was the only one to acknowledge his entrance.

"Morning Matt," she smiled, pausing briefly from slicing peppers to beckon him over. He crossed over to her and sat down at the counter. An awkward silence followed. He wanted to speak to her, but he didn't want the others overhearing.

Ironically enough, it was Dan that came to the rescue. Since the battle with Skyler had stripped him of his memories, his perception skills had vastly improved, as he was constantly trying to learn as much about his new life as he could. As such, he quickly recognised Matt's need for a little privacy, even if Leah and James didn't. He nonchalantly reached for the remote and turned the TV's volume up. It was only a little bit, but just enough to put a damper on any noise they happened to make. James' eyes flicked up in irritation, before returning to his computer screen.

"Clever," Matt observed. Katie raised an eyebrow at him, and he explained what was going on in a low voice.

"Oh, I see," she smiled once he'd finished. "Very clever. So what was it you wanted to talk to me about?"

Matt's face immediately grew serious. "I wanted to know; what do you think of... well... all this?" he asked, gesturing around the room.

She knew what he meant, and her smile vanished in an instant. "It's horrible," she replied sadly. "James is still angry with both of them; he won't even talk to them. Last night, he was so angry he took it out on me."

"He what?" Matt gasped, before remembering to keep his voice down. "Did he... did he hit you?"

"No no, he'd never do that," Katie assured him. "It was mostly just ranting and raving about this and that. And I was the only one nearby, so I got the worse of it. He feels like everyone's against him after what he said to Dan."

"He wouldn't be far wrong," Matt muttered. "That was a horrible thing for him to say."

"I know, I know," Katie replied, and at that moment, Matt could see just how stressed she was at being caught in the middle of all this. She slumped onto the counter, upset and exhausted, her head buried in her arms. "I just want things to be ok again. I just want things to go back to the way they were."

"Same," Matt said. He couldn't think of anything else to say, so he just sat their awkwardly as Katie carried on making breakfast. In hindsight, he realised that he should've joined in, but he was too awash with his own negative thoughts to be of much help to anyone.

Then came the sound none of them wanted to hear.

The alarm.

Matt didn't even try to conceal his groan. This was the last thing he wanted to be dealing with right now. Number hunting required concentration and full strength, and he didn't really feel like any of them were up to the task. Unfortunately, the alarm refused to let up, so he eventually pushed himself off his stool and went to get his Deck. James snapped his laptop shut with a grunt, but otherwise made no attempt to get up from the table as everyone else went about gathering their gear.

As the four of them clustered around the door, Katie turned back to her boyfriend. "Come on," she prompted. "We're going to miss it."

"Yeah, about that..." James replied. "I'm not going."

Four pairs of eyes zoned in on him.

"Why?" Matt asked, hiding his annoyance behind a deceptively passive voice.

James shrugged. "I don't feel like it. Besides, it's not like I really help much, is it?"

Katie was about to argue, but Leah stepped up to her and shook her head, warning her that it wasn't worth the effort. And Katie had to admit that she was right. James was stubborn at the best of times, but now, after everything that had happened, they didn't have a hope of convincing him to come along.

"We'll discuss this later," Matt said, before pulling the door open.

James nodded and opened his computer as the rest of the Deltas filed out. He didn't even say goodbye to his girlfriend. He didn't even wish them luck.

*SOME TIME LATER*

The Delta's search had taken them through a metal gate into a sports field, the kind used by schools during their sporting events. It effectively amounted to a big field with a bunch of white lines painted on it. The Primary School students were the ones that used it most, but it was the school holidays, so the whole field was empty.

Well, save for two duelists...

One of them was a boy, a teenager named Koshima, wrapped in a travelling cloak and wearing a pair of rugged trainers. The red number seventy-six shimmered softly on the back of his left hand, and that told them all the needed to know. He was the Number holder they wanted.

His Number, in fact, was already out. It actually seemed to be a pair of creatures, connected by an arching beam of energy. One was a massive, hulking bear-like thing, while the other resembled some sort of wolf. Both had their bodies covered with blue armour, while the rest of their visible skin was dark, smooth, and featureless, like black glass. Any facial or bodily features were denoted by glowing red lines. A grand total of nine glowing yellow orbs traced circles around their hulking forms.

And standing across from the creature, totally composed, was Doctor Lithon.

**Lithon LP:** 3800

**Epignosai Aleph: Machine-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 2300/DEF 2300 – 0 OLU**

**Epignosai Pe: Winged Beast-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 2200/DEF 2200**

**Epignosai Lamedh: Beast-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1800**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: Swords of Revealing Light, **Number 19: Golden Counter** (equipped to **Epignosai Aleph**), 1 set card

**Koshima LP:** 1700

**Number 76: Rhystic Roamers: Beast-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 1000/DEF 2000 – 9 OLU**

The Deltas groaned. Not Lithon again! The last time any of them had seen him was before Dan had received his amnesia, where he'd viciously defeated Skyler and snatched Skyler's most powerful Number at the time. He had done so by using something called a Chaos Number, which the Deltas were still nonplussed about.

"Go, **Epignosai Aleph**, attack his Number now!" Lithon commanded. While it was equipped with Golden Counter, Aleph was being treated as a Number, which allowed it to destroy other Numbers by battle. The mechanical construct sent a tidal wave of black and white sludge at Number 76, which consumed the pair of creatures in an instant. "**Epignosai Pe**, direct attack!" Another of Lithon's monsters, which resembled a black condor drenched in tar, swooped out of the sky to finish the job. Koshima cried out and stumbled back as the flying mass of gloop and plumage struck him like a disgusting cannonball.

**Lithon LP:** 3800 [WINNER]

**Koshima LP:** 1700 → 0

Lithon was already striding towards his defeated opponent by the time the finishing claxon sounded. As the augmented reality field descended around him, he reached the boy and pulled a metal construct from inside his bright yellow lab coat. It was a thick metal disk, with a glass dome on top of it, and several sharp metal protrusions that resembled the legs of an insect jutting from the side. Lithon placed the device in the centre of Koshima's chest, and the protrusions clamped down on his skin. With a wicked grin, Lithon tapped a few buttons on his wrist-computer to activate the device.

Leah and Dan had both seen it used on Skyler once before, but while Leah averted her gaze, Dan watched Lithon go about his work with abject fascination. She needn't have worried. Koshima was already unconscious from the prolonged Numbers duel, so there was no screaming and thrashing as there had been with Skyler.

Instead, the device whirred away merrily for a moment, before a compartment on the side opened and the boy's Number was spat out. Lithon snatched it up and eyed it with satisfaction, then shoved it into his pocket.

That should've been the end of it, but Lithon still had one more trick up his sleeve. With the press of a single button, the device flashed a bright white colour, and then it simply vanished, along with the boy it was attached to.

Leah gasped. One second the boy had been there, and the next he was gone, with only a patch of flattened grass to show them where he'd been. It was as if he'd simply popped out of existence.

Unfortunately, her gasp was loud enough to attract Lithon's attention. With a curse, he whipped around to face them. "Hey! Who goes- ah..." As he recognised them, Lithon's initial shocked expression was quickly replaced by a smirk, which denoted both satisfaction and malice. "We meet again, Team Delta. To what do I owe this unexpected pleasure?"

"Enough with the pleasantries, Lithon," Matt retorted. After the events of this morning, he was in no mood to play around. "What did you do to that kid?"

"A simple transportation," Lithon replied. "I've moved his body to my lab, where I can conduct further experiments on him and the interaction he had with his Number."

"What kind of experiments?" Matt queried. "And don't lie to me, because if you do, I swear I'll-"

But Lithon's attention had already shifted onto Leah. "Hello again, young lady. Have you sufficiently recovered from your last duel? Last I remember you were still cowering in the dirt, clinging to your friend for support."

"Whilst you were having your plans wrecked by a guy who's apparently weaker than you, and ending up so weak that you fled from us with your tail between your legs," she retorted.

Katie stifled a laugh. _'Same old Leah,' _she thought.

Lithon flared up in indignation. "He lost, and I captured his Numbers! That's all that matters!" Calming down, he turned his gaze on Dan. "And what of you, boy? Don't you have anything to say?"

Dan seemed to consider his response carefully. "You're kind of creepy," he concluded. "You talk funny, and you're just a little bit bipolar, but other than that, there's nothing particularly offensive about you. I'd say you're an ok guy." He held out a hand for Lithon to shake. "Pleased to meet you, Lithon. My name's Dan."

Lithon stared at the outstretched hand as though he'd just been offered a snake. He then glanced up at the boy, then back at Matt. "What's wrong with this one?" he queried. "Did he get brain damage or something?"

"Never you mind!" Matt snapped. "Now are you going to duel or not?"

"No," Lithon replied.

They stared back, dumbfounded.

"What did you say?" Matt growled.

"I said no." Now Lithon was grinning. "I've done my Number collecting for the day, and I currently have no desire to duel again." He held up a hand before Matt could interrupt him. "However," he went on, "since you're all here, I think now would be a very good time to test out one of my newest toys."

"And what would that be?" Matt asked sarcastically. "Another weird Number evolution?"

Lithon snorted with amusement. "While the chance to exercise my Chaos Number again is extremely tempting, it's not what I had in mind. Instead, I'll introduce you to a different kind of servant."

"Servant?"

"Indeed. You are all the servants of that Professor Usur bloke, so it's only fitting that one of his henchmen should be pitted against one of mine." He raised his voice. "Come on over, my servant! Come and greet our guests!"

As one, the four Deltas turned in the direction Lithon was indicating, towards the metal gate that marked the entrance to the field. The wire fence around the field was over two metres high, and as such, the gate was the height and shape of a door, encompassed by a metal door frame.

And leaning against the metal frame, silhouetted against the rising sun, was a figure. The Deltas shielded their eyes and squinted, but they couldn't make the person out. Who was it?

"Now now, that's just rude," Lithon chuckled. "Step into the shade. Let our guests get a good look at you."

The figure stepped forward.

* * *

Author-made cards:

Epignosai Pe (credit to Superjad)  
Winged Beast-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1700/DEF 1700  
Once per turn: You can target 1 "Epignosai" monster in your Graveyard; banish it, and if you do, this card gains 500 ATK and DEF until the End Phase.

Epignosai Lamedh (credit to Superjad)  
Beast-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1800  
When this card is Normal Summoned: Banish 1 "Epignosai" card from your Deck.

Epignosai Aleph (credit to Superjad)  
Machine-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 2300/DEF 2300  
2 Level 4 "Epignosai" monsters  
This card gains the original Types of all Overlay Units attached to it. Once per turn: You can detach and banish 2 Overlay Units from this card, then target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy that target.

Number 19: Golden Counter (credit to javaraicekid)  
Machine-Type/Xyz/Union/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 1300/DEF 1600  
2 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn, you can either: Target 1 face-up monster you control; equip this card to that target, OR: Unequip this card and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Position. The equipped monster is treated as a "Number" monster, and cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. (A monster can only be equipped with 1 Union monster at a time. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, destroy this card instead).

Number 76: Rhystic Roamers  
Beast-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 4/ATK 1000/DEF 2000  
5 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. You can target 1 Xyz Monster you control, then reveal 1 monster in your hand that has the same Level as that target's Rank; attach the revealed monster to that target as an Overlay Unit. Once per turn: You can detach 10 Overlay Units from this card; send cards from the top of your opponent's Deck to the Graveyard until they have exactly 1 card left.

* * *

**Fun Fact #1: Welcome back to the plot. Did you miss the plot? Because we missed the plot.**

**Fun Fact #2: You each get three guesses as to who Lithon's mysterious henchman is. Actually, just one guess. I mean, seriously, this isn't going to be the biggest revelation of all time - it shouldn't take three guesses to get this.**

**Fun Fact #3: Wow, that was very close. Just one more Overlay Unit on Number 76: Rhystic Roamers, and Lithon would've been royally screwed.  
**

**Fun Fact #4: Well, our poll is now over, the people have spoken, etc, and the result of the poll is that "Keep current structure" scored more points than "Change to different structure" did. As you wish, general public, as you wish.**

**Fun Fact #5: The title "Methods and Materials" refers to a section used in the majority of experimental design, coming after the Introduction and before the Results section. This fits pretty well, what with Lithon being... well... a scientist and all. With regards to this story, however, it also provides a double meaning. 'Materials' can be used to refer to Xyz Materials/Overlay Units, which are pretty prevalent in ZEXAL stories. 'Methods' will be discussed later.  
**

**Fun Fact #6: It's that time again: time to rant about FanFictionDotNet's proofreading system. For one, it really doesn't like the word Epignosai. While I was editing this document, the 'Author-made cards' section was basically awash with red lines. And while I'm complaining, apparently the words "could've" and "claxon" don't exist. Seriously, FanFictionDotNet, sort this out.**


	2. Chapter 2

It was Kodoku.

Or rather, it looked like Kodoku, but it certainly didn't feel like the cheerful, bubbly, slightly shy kid that they'd met a few months ago. This Kodoku had forgone his usual school uniform, and was instead wearing a smart blue suit, complete with a deep blue cravat and a pale shirt underneath it. It would've looked very smart on a normal adult, but on the ten-year-old kid, it looked creepy and out-of-place.

The suit wasn't the only strange thing about the kid. His face was an expressionless mask. And his eyes... they didn't seem to contain anything, only a vast white emptiness that concealed anything the boy would happen to be feeling. His duel disk was some sort of blocky construct made out of a clear plastic, with layers of circuitry running underneath it. A metal collar, made from the same materials as the duel disk, was fastened around his neck.

Katie was by far the most devastated to see the kid. "Kodoku...? Is that you?" she asked shakily. The boy nodded. "But... I... how? How did this happen?"

Lithon laughed at her distress. "Haha, you can question him all you want, my dear," he smirked. "He won't give you any answers unless I permit it."

Furious, Katie rounded on the mad scientist. "What did you do to him, Lithon?" she snapped. "No-one would choose to follow you of their own free will, so what did you do to make him?"

"Ah," said Lithon with a satisfied grin. "I'm afraid you're actually quite mistaken there, girl. Kodoku made the decision to follow me, of his own free will. Well... at first."

"At first?" Matt repeated, turning away from the child. "Ok, you'd better start explaining yourself, Lithon!"

The scientist gave a mocking bow to Matt. "As you command, o mighty hunter. The truth is that I met Kodoku a little while after the Numbers came to this world. Kodoku was a lonely kid back then – he had no parents, no relatives, no friends to speak of, and every day to him was filled with nothing but misery and sorrow." Lithon glanced at Katie and grinned. "Feeling a little teary-eyed there, girl? Don't worry, it gets worse. Because then... he received a Number."

Katie gasped. "No!"

"Now you're starting to get it," Lithon laughed cruelly. "As you all know, Numbers amplify emotions and desires. In Kodoku's case, it amplified his desire to share his life with someone, to end his loneliness. Unfortunately, the way it went about doing so was a little... unrefined." Matt shivered as he remembered the method his own Number had chosen to try and end his suffering. Lithon didn't notice. "Anyway, I encountered Kodoku a short time after he'd acquired his Number. As it happened, he was testing out its power on some of the bullies that had made his life such a misery. Needless to say, the injuries they sustained were... extensive." He chuckled slightly.

"You're actually laughing at that?" Leah asked incredulously. "Do you even have an ounce of humanity in your entire body?"

"I certainly hope not," Lithon replied, still chuckling. "Humane people make pretty bad scientists."

Leah glared back at him. There was no way she could ever hate anyone as much as Skyler, but this man was definitely hateful in his own special way.

"Anyway," Lithon continued, ignoring her furious gaze. "After the duel I approached Kodoku. I was highly interested in gaining Numbers by any means necessary at that point, so I told the boy that I would take him under my wing and give him the two things he'd never had: a companion, and a home. Naturally, he jumped at the chance. It was practically the happiest day of his life. So in keeping with my agreement, I took him back to my lab. Once there, I hooked that collar around his neck." He indicated the metal construct, still glinting in the morning sun. "It works very similarly to the bands you use for Number collection – it sends electrical impulses through the nervous system and straight into the cerebellum, which directly counteracts the-"

"Hang on!" Matt interrupted. "How do you know how our bands work?"

Lithon grinned at him. "That's neither here nor there, boy. What's important is that my variation doesn't just block the Number's influence; it also restricts a great deal of Kodoku's higher functions. It creates a direct path to Kodoku's subconscious mind, allowing me to plant my orders directly into his conscience. This is the same principle that hypnotism is based on – I can effectively shape Kodoku's world however I see fit, and make him believe whatever I want. He is my mindless puppet!"

Katie had been angry enough to begin with, but now she was beside herself with rage. Who did this guy think he was, treating kids this way? She swore angrily and started towards Lithon before anyone could stop her, meaning to cause him as much pain as possible.

She didn't get far.

Lithon muttered something under his breath, and suddenly Kodoku was standing in front of her. She skidded to a halt about two feet from him, marvelling at how fast he was. With a face still devoid of expression, Kodoku calmly raised his hand and pointed at her midriff. He was holding something. Katie felt two metal prongs pressing into her stomach, and suddenly, a bolt of electricity coursed through her body.

She screamed as all of her muscles contracted at once, and she instantly lost the ability to stand and collapsed to the ground. Her vision was intermittently flickering, and there was a metallic taste in her mouth. The rest of her team cried out and ran over to help her. Matt made a grab for Kodoku, but the boy quickly hopped out of reach and retreated to a safe distance.

Leah knelt down next to Katie and checked her vital signs. After ascertaining that she wasn't in any immediate danger, she looked up at Kodoku. "What did you do that for?" she shouted. "She was trying to help you!"

Again Kodoku said nothing. Instead, it was Lithon who answered. "He did it because I told him to," he said, observing the scene with mild amusement. "I told you that he my puppet, and I wasn't lying. If I tell him to taser the girl who was once his friend, and who is still trying to help him, then he will! That is the extent of my control." He turned to Kodoku. "Now then, onto business. Kodoku, your new task is to engage the black-haired boy in a duel. You are to defeat him so I can extract his Numbers. Is that understood?"

Kodoku nodded, then turned his blank stare on Matt and activated his D-Gazer and duel disk. As he did, blue lights and sparks started darting around under his duel disk's clear casing. "Let's duel," he said calmly.

Matt had had enough. The situation with Dan was bad enough, and meeting with Lithon again had made it worse, but this... this was beyond tolerable. _'I won't let this maniac hurt anyone else,' _he decided. _'Kodoku included. He didn't want this. He wouldn't have done this of his own free will.' _He looked straight into the boy's empty eyes again, trying to express his determination through the force of his gaze as he prepared his equipment. _'Hang tight, Kodoku. I promise I'll try to save you.'_

_"AR Vision – link established."_

"DUEL!"

**Kodoku LP:** 4000

**Matt LP:** 4000

"I'll take the first move," Kodoku asserted, his stoic expression never fading. "I draw. I Normal Summon Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands." A grey, slimy monster appeared. It wasn't very big, but it was practically made out of hands.

Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands: Fairy-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 1000

"I activate its effect," Kodoku added. "When this card is Normal or Flip Summoned, I can add any Ritual Monster or Ritual Spell Card from my Deck to my hand. I choose **Aquabot Liquid Armour**." His weird duel disk extracted the card, which he placed in his hand. "Then I place two cards face-down and end my turn." His set cards appeared behind Manju.

Matt was on alert the moment he recognised the Ritual Spell that Kodoku had searched. Katie had dueled against the Aquabot monsters before, and it was an unnerving experience even to watch. The Aquabots were Ritual Monsters, but they could still be _Normal Summoned_ like regular monsters, a fact that Matt was still struggling to get his head around even now.

"My turn, draw!" He began his turn in earnest: there would be plenty of time to worry later. "I Summon Dark Blade!" A spikey, black-armoured warrior appeared, brandishing two vicious-looking steel blades.

Dark Blade: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1500

"Battle!" Matt declared. "Dark Blade, attack Manju!" The warrior lowered itself, poising its body for a sudden lunge.

"I activate the Trap Card, Last Resort," Kodoku interrupted, his face-down card activating. "When a monster you control declares an attack, this card lets me activate any Field Spell Card directly from my Deck." He held out his hand once again as his duel disk spat out a new card. "I activate the Field Spell Card, **Aquabot Emergency Rituals**!"

With the sound of breaking glass, the whole scenery around them shattered as though it were nothing but a photo in a frame. All four of the Deltas moaned and rubbed their ears, which were still sore after the pounding they'd taken from Skyler. When they finally decided to pay attention, they noticed that the entire field had vanished, only to be replaced by a big square room, the exact size and shape of the sports field it had replaced. The room was a sea blue colour, and completely made up of rectangular panels. If the room hadn't been completely bare, Matt would've called it some kind of laboratory.

"As long as this card is in play," Kodoku explained, "all face-up monsters with the word 'Ritual' in their card text gain 400 ATK and DEF. And that includes Manju, since his text mentions Ritual Monsters and Ritual Spell Cards."

Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands: ATK 1400 → 1800/DEF 1000 → 1400

"Go Manju, retaliate!" Kodoku ordered. The slimy deity launched itself forward at the same moment as Dark Blade. Instead of swinging its swords gracefully round, the warrior suddenly found itself ramming into Manju a second sooner than it had expected. The collision set off an explosion right in the centre of the lad, obliterating both monsters.

Matt was starting to get worried. Kodoku hadn't given the impression of a particularly skilled duelist the last time they met, but a strategy like that was impeccable. Using a Field Spell Card to block an attack in the way that this boy had was not only clever, but downright ingenious. "I place two cards face-down and end my turn," Matt said apprehensively, watching his two set cards materialize.

"Then I draw," Kodoku said in that same monotone voice. "I activate the Spell Card, Monster Reborn, to revive Dark Blade from your Graveyard." To his annoyance, Matt found his only monster suddenly appearing on his opponent's field.

Dark Blade: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1500

"Now I activate the Continuous Trap Card, Call of the Haunted, to revive a monster from my own Graveyard. Appear, Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands." The other destroyed monster appeared, now on the same side as the monster it had battled earlier.

Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands: Fairy-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1400/DEF 1000

Manju of the Ten Thousand Hands: ATK 1400 → 1800/DEF 1000 → 1400

"Next I activate the Spell Card, Ritual Forgone," Kodoku declared, placing the card in his duel disk. "By paying 1000 Life Points, this card lets me Special Summon any Ritual Monster from my hand ignoring Summoning conditions, but it can't attack, and it's destroyed during the End Phase." A red aura surrounded him as the Life Points were deducted. He acted as though he couldn't feel it.

**Kodoku LP:** 4000 → 3000

"I Summon Gishki Psychelone." A point directly in front of Kodoku suddenly exploded, showering the room with water. When the watery veil cleared, a new monster was perched on Kodoku's field. The creature was a woman with pale skin, covered in some sort of pulsating black armour. She had pink bat-like wings, and was sitting on the head of a squid which may or may not have been part of her body.

Gishki Psychelone: Fiend-Type/Ritual/WATER/Level 4/ATK 2150/DEF 1650

Gishki Psychelone: ATK 2150 → 2550/DEF 1650 → 2050

"I activate Psychelone's effect," Kodoku added. "Once per turn, I can declare any Type and Attribute, then check a random card in your hand, and if the card I checked is a monster that matches that Type and Attribute, it gets shuffled into the Deck." He lifted his hand and pointed at the middle card in Matt's hand. "I choose that card, and I'll say that it's a DARK Warrior-Type monster."

Without a hint of a smile, Matt shook his head and turned the card around so Kodoku could see. It was Dododo Buster, and while it was a Warrior-Type monster, it had the EARTH Attribute, not DARK.

Kodoku shrugged as if he couldn't care less. Then, with no warning whatsoever, he immediately gave his next order. "Level four Manju, Dark Blade and Psychelone, Overlay." His three monsters changed into amorphous masses of energy – one yellow, one purple, and one blue – which blazed their way into the air, chasing each other in circles around the ceiling of the lab. On the floor where they had been standing, a galaxy portal opened. "I use these three monsters to construct the Overlay Network. Xyz Summon."

Matt could only watch in horror as the trio of monsters dived eagerly into the swirling abyss. That portal... its galaxy shape... he knew that shape all too well. That innocent looking circular shape was actually anything but innocent. It was the harbinger of utter destruction.

The portal of the Numbers.

And a moment later, Kodoku's deceptively calm voice confirmed it. "Arise, Number 90!"

* * *

Author-made cards:

Aquabot Emergency Rituals (credit to Superjad)  
Field Spell Card  
Face-up monsters with the words "Ritual Monster", "Ritual Spell Card" and/or "Ritual Summon" in their card text gain 400 ATK and DEF. Once per turn: You can choose 1 "Aquabot" Ritual Monster in your hand, Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal the Level of the chosen monster, and Special Summon the chosen monster from your hand (this Special Summon is treated as a Ritual Summon with an "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card). Your maximum number of Normal Summons/Sets each turn is 0. You can discard any number of Ritual Spell Cards; your maximum number of Normal Summons this turn is equal to the number of cards discarded. You cannot Normal Summon non-"Aquabot" monsters.

* * *

**Fun Fact #7: BOOM, PLOT TW- oh wait, no it isn't. You all saw this coming, right? Kodoku is really the only logical choice.**

**Fun Fact #8: Nope, we're not even giving you the name of the Number this time. Aren't we just so cruel?  
**

**Fun Fact #9: When we originally received Aquabot Emergency Rituals, its effect was worded so that it raised the ATK of any monster with the single word 'Ritual' in its text. It's certainly an interesting concept (supporting card text rather than names), and we hope to try it out again in the future. Unfortunately, the original wording conflicted with certain Normal Monsters that have words like 'spiritual' in their text, like Supporter in the Shadows, Gyakutenno Megami, and a bunch of anime cards that we're probably forgetting about. The change we gave it is a bit wordy, but manages to avoid this problem. Please don't sue us, Superjad.  
**

**Fun Fact #10: Yes, we did use the anime effect of Last Resort as opposed to the TCG effect, why do you ask?**

**Fun Fact #11: Don't mess with Lithon - he'll make his ten-year-old mind slave taser you!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**Kodoku LP: **3000

Spell & Trap Card Zone: **Aquabot Emergency Rituals**, Call of the Haunted

**Matt LP: **4000

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 2 set cards

"Arise, **Number 90: Shiki Summoner**!"

A black number ninety blazed trails across Kodoku's face, etching itself into his forehead. From out of the deceptively tranquil portal arose a great blob of... something. It was some sort of gelatinous substance, but it had no colour of its own. Instead, it seemed to be emanating a faint glow, both from inside its core and from its rippling surface, as though it was producing internal light and reflecting external light at the same time. Then, with deliberate slowness, the ball of goo began to change shape- no, it seemed to be uncurling, as though some huge gelatinous creature had wrapped itself into a tight ball. The seconds dragged on, and with them, the monster slowly became more pronounced, gaining limbs and a bulbous head, completely devoid of any sort of facial features. Slowly, strenuously, the humanoid creature completely uncurled from its tight foetal position, and sleepily stretched its arms wide. It vaguely resembled a tall and thin – almost stick-like – woman, with long flowing hair, strange occult symbols etched onto its body, and a staff that stood almost as big as her, made from the same slimy substance that she was. Her face was perfectly smooth and featureless, lacking in anything resembling eyes or mouth. The three bright blue Overlay Units were the only things to provide a splash of colour to the creature, and all three were floating in orbit around the very top of the staff.

**Number 90: Shiki Summoner: Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2800 – 3 OLU**

**Number 90: Shiki Summoner: ATK 2400 **→** 2800/DEF 2800 **→** 3200**

There was no time to be scared. Matt couldn't afford it. He couldn't risk being drawn into that trap again. So rather than watching it appear with horror, the moment the Number hit the field he began making assessments about it. _'Well, it just gained a boost from Kodoku's Field Spell,' _he thought. _'So that must mean it contains the word 'Ritual' in its card text. Which means it supports Ritual Summoning in one way or another…'_

"I activate the Spell Card, Magician's Archive." Matt thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Kodoku's continuing turn. "With this, I can add any Spell Card from my Deck to my hand. I choose the Ritual Spell Card, **Aquabot Liquid Armour**, which I'll then activate immediately." As the Ritual Spell was activated, a blue ritualistic circle, with runes around the side and a centre that seemed to ripple like the surface of a pond, appeared on his field. "This card lets me perform a Ritual Summon for any Aquabot monster in my hand," he explained, albeit unnecessarily – they'd all seen the card before. This time, however, the Summoning took a surprise twist. "Now I apply the effect of Shiki Summoner. When resolving the effect of a Ritual Spell Card, I can use one Overlay Unit attached to Shiki Summoner as the entire Tribute required for the Ritual Monster."

"You what?" Matt said, aghast.

Kodoku patiently repeated himself. "Using this effect," he added once he'd finished, "I'll detach Manju to complete the Ritual Summon." Raising her staff, Shiki Summoner tapped the shimmering ritual circle ever so gently with the base, and one of the Overlay Units fell out of orbit like a drop of water. It evaporated the moment it made contact with the rippling ritual circle.

**Number 90: Shiki Summoner: 3 **→** 2 OLU**

"Using this effect, I Ritual Summon **Aquabot Dimension**." With a flash of blue light and the sound of rushing water, a new Ritual Monster emerged from the circle. **Aquabot Dimension** had the appearance of a giant, ceiling-high mirror, but the edges of the mirror were made from a strange blue gelatinous fluid, and the front of the mirror didn't reflect anything, but was instead a swirling blue whirlpool that resembled a blue version of the Numbers' Xyz Summoning portal. It had small spindly legs holding it upright, and two large green eyes staring out of the top of the frame. Printed just underneath these eyes was a strange line of text, CODE: [).[). (0/7201132.

**Aquabot Dimension: Machine-Type/Ritual/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1500/DEF 1500**

**Aquabot Dimension: ATK 1500 **→** 1900/DEF 1500 **→** 1900**

"Then I'll activate **Aquabot Dimension**'s effect. When this monster is Ritual Summoned, I can shuffle one card on the field back into the owner's Deck. I'll target your left face-down card." Silver chains shot from the swirling gateway and wrapped around one of Matt's face-downs.

Matt responded with characteristic decisiveness. "In response, I activate the Trap Card, Fiendish Chain!" The targeted Trap Card activated, even as it was being pulled towards the mirror. "With this card, I can target one face-up Effect Monster on the field. Then, that target can't attack or apply its effects." The chains around the Trap Card shattered. Then, with a flash of light, the Trap responded by firing chains of its own, which ensnared the giant mirror and held it down.

Kodoku barely reacted. "Battle. **Number 90: Shiki Summoner**, direct attack." The Number lifted its staff up high, then brought it down to the ground with a thunderous crash. From where it struck, a crackling blue shock-wave radiated out. The wave of energy didn't leave so much as a scorch mark on the lab's pristine floor, but Matt was smashed off his feet by the force of it. He landed on his back hard, gasping for breath.

**Matt LP: **4000 → 1200

"I end my turn there," Kodoku said in a monotone.

Matt struggled to his feet again, feeling torn. He wasn't just scared for himself – he was really starting to worry about this kid. Since the duel had started, he hadn't shown so much as a scrap of emotion, whether in his voice or his expression or his actions. He didn't even sound bored. He sounded... like...

It was no use. Matt couldn't even think of a word. Kodoku didn't sound like... well... anything. It didn't even feel like he was the one dueling – Matt felt like he was just facing Kodoku's duel disk, devoid of any sort of owner with feelings and a soul. And he didn't like it one bit.

_'Damnit all…' _he thought, clenching his fist in frustration. _'How am I supposed to save someone like this? There's nothing to save. There's nothing in there.' _The metal collar popped into his mind, and he briefly considered running over and ripping the thing off of Kodoku's neck. Maybe that would restore him.

Then his thoughts turned to what had happened to Katie, and he shook his head. _'Not a hope,' _he mused. _'Kodoku's armed, and he wouldn't let me get close. But there's still Lithon… maybe I can- no, he's probably just as well defended… gah! What the hell am I supposed to do? How can I-"_

"Matt!"

Startled out of his thoughts, Matt turned back to his team to work out who had called. Katie was now sitting up and feeling almost better, Dan was on his knees tending to her, and Leah was on her feet next to them. He only discovered that it was Leah when she shouted again. "Matt, stop it! Don't you dare put the life of one of Lithon's henchmen ahead of your own." She glanced at the boy with sad eyes. "I want to save him too, and if we get the chance, that's exactly what we'll do. But the fact remains that he's the enemy, and you can't prioritise the enemy over your own life, or the lives of your friends. Understood?"

Matt nodded, feeling pleased – more pleased, perhaps, that the situation gave him any right to be. That outburst had shown him that Leah wasn't dwelling on things like she had been the past few days. It also proved that she, at least, was looking out for him, and that she really cared about his safety. At the very least, it meant she was thinking logically, which was more than he could say for himself.

"Come on, focus..." he muttered, trying to pull himself together. He needed to tackle each thing as it came, rather than getting completely tangled in the things he couldn't change.

At least, for the moment.

"It's my turn, I draw," Matt began, filled with new determination. "I Special Summon Dododo Buster!" A thickly muscled warrior, coated in gold and brown armour and carrying a spiked mace, appeared on his field.

Dododo Buster: Warrior-Type/EARTH/Level 6/ATK 1900/DEF 800

"I can Special Summon this card from my hand if you control a monster and I don't," Matt explained. "But if I do, then its Level is reduced from six to four." A series of small cracks ran across the surface of the mace.

Dododo Buster: Level 6 → 4

"Then I Normal Summon **Gladiator of Eoseuleum – Ronkaku**!" A black-armoured monster appeared. It was even more muscular than Dododo Buster, and was carrying a hefty-looking spear in both hands. The Eoseuleum's crest – an orange streak that resembled the flickering flame of a candle – was emblazoned onto the tip of the spear.

**Gladiator of Eoseuleum – Ronkaku: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1200**

"Level four Dododo Buster and Ronkaku, Overlay!" The two muscular warriors turned fully orange and purple respectively, then shot up onto the air. Beneath them, another galaxy-shaped portal opened. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" Both monsters sailed down into the portal, which erupted with light. "Rise up! **Number 44: Vták Ohnivák**!"

A yellow number forty-four flashed across the back of his hand, as a wave of flames spilled out of the portal. The gushing flames gently rose higher, carrying with them a cream-coloured egg, with bright orange and red symbols etched onto the shell. A sudden crack rent the shell in two, and from within came a warbling screech. With a series of violent thrashes, the creature quickly shattered the rest of the shell surrounding it, and screeched again, this time in triumph, as it spread its wings wide. It was a phoenix – of that there could be no doubt. Its feathers were all of a shade of red or orange, but some of its feathers - on the back of its neck, the remiges at the bottom of its wings, and the tip of each of its three tail feathers – were dancing and flickering like flames. Maybe they were actual flames... it was impossible to tell where feather ended and fire began. Two red Overlay Units orbited it.

**Number 44: Vták Ohnivák: Winged Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1800 – 2 OLU**

Lithon grinned the moment he saw the bird appear. "Hmm, now that's a fine looking Number," he muttered. "And now that I've seen it, I can capture it!" He glanced at Matt, who was now cloaked in a red glow emanating from his new monster. "Foolish boy... he must have forgotten. Or perhaps he's getting desperate."

"Battle!" Matt declared. "Vták Ohnivák, attack **Aquabot Dimension**!" The flames covering its body flared even brighter as the phoenix began its attack.

"No..." Katie said weakly, having finally found her voice. Matt didn't even hear her, but the other two did, and Leah immediately dropped down beside her. "That's not right..."

"What's not right?" Dan asked.

"That..." Katie wearily pointed at the attacking Number. "It won't work. If **Aquabot Dimension** ends up in Kodoku's Graveyard, he can just banish it to return the Ritual Spell Card to his Deck."

"I know," Leah muttered, then turned to look at the duel. "But this is Matt. He's not one to make mistakes like that."

"He's a good duelist," Dan agreed. "He must have a reason."

The 'good duelist', meanwhile, was continuing down the apparently suicidal road. The phoenix-esque Number beat its wings three times, each time spraying the floor of the lab with embers. On the third flap, the bird sent a maelström of wind and fire straight at Kodoku's Ritual Monster. The monster, being made entirely of liquid, evaporated in an instant, and Kodoku was knocked back by the intense heat.

**Kodoku LP:** 3000 → 2700

It wasn't a lot of damage, but it was still damage from a Number. As the boy staggered back, he tripped over his own feet and fell backwards, banging his head on the sun-baked dirt disguised as the floor of the lab. The impact jolted his entire body.

And the metal collar around his neck came loose.

Matt didn't even notice – he was still focussed on his move. "I activate Vták Ohnivák's effect! If this card destroys a monster by battle, I can apply one of its two effects. I'll apply the first effect, which attaches the destroyed monster to this card as an Overlay Unit, instead of sending it to the Graveyard." The cloud of steam that had once been the Ritual Monster condensed into a single glowing red sphere, which darted across the field and settled into orbit around the Number.

**Number 44: Vták Ohnivák: 2 **→ **3 OLU**

"So that's it!" Leah grinned. "If it's not in the Graveyard, then it can't be banished as the cost for that Ritual Spell."

"Yep," Matt agreed. "But it's the second effect that I'm most interested in. Obviously I can't use that effect this time, since I've already chosen the first effect. But next turn, you can rest assured that I'll use it."

"And that effect would be?" Lithon asked in a worried tone. Kodoku was still lying on his back – his lack of movement concerned him.

"If it destroys a monster by battle," Matt explained. "I can detach three Overlay Units from it to destroy every card on the field!"

"You what?" Lithon gasped.

Matt nodded. "Yep, and now I have three Overlay Units ready to use, so Kodoku really needs to make his next turn count." Unbeknownst to everyone else, Matt was also formulating a second plan, in the form of the Rising Energy card in his hand. _'I don't need to attack him,' _he thought. _'I just need to wait for desperation to get the better of him, and he'll attack me. Then I can set off my Number's effect during his turn!' _He nodded, confident that he'd prepared for all the variables, and took the card from his hand. "I place one card face-down. Turn end."

* * *

Author-made cards:

Gladiator of Eoseuleum - Ronkaku  
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1200  
This card inflicts Piercing Damage. If a Spell Card is activated, destroy this card.

Aquabot Dimension (credit to Superjad)  
Machine-Type/Ritual/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1500/DEF 1500  
Can be Normal Summoned (from your hand). You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card. When this card is Normal Summoned: Target 1 of your banished "Aquabot" cards; add that target to your hand. If this card is Ritual Summoned: Target 1 card on the field; shuffle it into the Deck. A monster that is Ritual Summoned using this card is unaffected by effects that do not target it.

Number 90: Shiki Summoner (credit to Superjad)  
Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2800  
3 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn, when the effect of a Ritual Spell Card that you activated resolves, you can use 1 Overlay Unit attached to this card as the entire Tribute (it is treated as a face-up monster you control).

Number 44: Vták Ohnivák  
Winged Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1800  
2 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. During the next Standby Phase after this card was destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can activate 1 of these effects. ●Attach the destroyed monster to this card as an Overlay Unit, instead of sending it to the Graveyard. ●Detach 3 Overlay Units from this card; destroy all cards on the field.

Aquabot Emergency Rituals (credit to Superjad)  
Field Spell Card  
Face-up monsters with the words "Ritual Monster", "Ritual Spell Card" and/or "Ritual Summon" in their card text gain 400 ATK and DEF. Once per turn: You can choose 1 "Aquabot" Ritual Monster in your hand, Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal the Level of the chosen monster, and Special Summon the chosen monster from your hand (this Special Summon is treated as a Ritual Summon with an "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card). Your maximum number of Normal Summons/Sets each turn is 0. You can discard any number of Ritual Spell Cards; your maximum number of Normal Summons this turn is equal to the number of cards discarded. You cannot Normal Summon non-"Aquabot" monsters.

Aquabot Liquid Armour (credit to Superjad)  
Ritual Spell Card  
Ritual Summon 1 "Aquabot" Ritual Monster from your hand. You must also Tribute monsters from your hand and/or field whose total Levels equal the Level of that Ritual Monster. If this card is in your Graveyard: You can banish 1 "Aquabot" card (except this card) from your Graveyard; shuffle this card from your Graveyard into the Deck.

* * *

**Fun Fact #12: Number 44 is making a guest appearance from its debut in the latest filler episode. Please make it feel welcome.**

**Fun Fact #13: Magician's Archive (the card Kodoku played straight after Summoning his Number) is a Normal Spell Card that first appeared in the GX manga, and its effect is "Add 1 Spell Card from your Deck to your hand." Yes, you did read that correctly. No, we didn't make it up. This is quite possibly the most broken card Konami has ever created. Ever. Seriously, instant access to cards like Monster Reborn, Dark Hole, Heavy Storm, Pot of Avarice, plus the themed Spell Cards of any given Deck, with no sort of cost or restriction, is just a tad ridiculous. Thank goodness it stayed in the manga, where it belongs.  
**

**Fun Fact #14: So, after reading through a few of the name changes that Konami made to Cosmo Blazer (something that invariably annoys all of us), we found out that Sacred Knight Joan's name had been changed to Noble Knight Joan, which means that the anime-exclusive Sacred Knights and the TCG-exclusive Noble Knights were actually the same archetype all along. That's genuinely the best plot twist I've ever seen from Konami! And it wasn't even in the anime. It was so good that I'm actually willing to overlook the rest of Konami's awful name changes (like Brushfire Knight, the Fire Fists, and the Hazy Flames) just this once.**

**Fun Fact #15: Would you like to know which word FanFictionDotNet's spell-checker is flagging up this time? Fanfics. Fanfics! Of all the words you could go for, on this site in particular, you tell us that one is incorrect?!**

**Fun Fact #16: Oh, and remiges. Apparently those don't exist either. For the record, that's the name given to the 'flight feathers' on the wing of a bird - on the tail they're called retrices. Which, incidentally, is also classed as a spelling error! Come on, FanFictionDotNet, this is starting to get annoying.**

******Fun Fact #17: Those codes on the Aquabot monsters do still mean something. Someone will have to figure it out eventually.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Kodoku LP:** 2700

**Number 90: Shiki Summoner: Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2800/DEF 3200 – 2 OLU**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: **Aquabot Emergency Rituals**, Call of the Haunted

**Matt LP:** 1200

**Number 44: Vták Ohnivák: Winged Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1800 – 3 OLU**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 2 set cards

Silence fell across the battlefield.

Matt glanced at his downed opponent, worried. Kodoku had collapsed from the force of the last attack and showed no signs of getting up, and he knew that he was responsible. He'd Summoned a Number unnecessarily, and the innocent kid had been hurt as a result. He knew he'd had no choice, but that did nothing to blow away the guilt.

Lowering his duel disk, Matt called across the field. "Hey, Kodoku, you alright? Say something!" When there was no reply, he began to walk across the lab towards him.

"Hey!" Lithon snapped. "You stay right where you are, boy! Don't take another step towards him!"

Matt glared at him. "Try and stop me," he growled, without breaking his stride. Lithon gritted his teeth, but stayed put – he didn't dare interfere in a duel where two Numbers were already on the loose. It wasn't worth the risk.

Matt, meanwhile, was working on getting close to Kodoku while still keeping a wary eye on Kodoku's Number. Shiki Summoner didn't seem to be behaving like Numbers normally did – instead of glaring at the enemy Number, the glowing-gelatinous-female-humanoid-shaman-thing was staring down at its unconscious owner. With no facial features to speak of, Matt couldn't tell what it might be thinking at the moment, which made it unpredictable. And an unpredictable Number made for a very dangerous Number indeed.

Regardless, it made no attempt to attack Matt on the approach, so he was able to get right up to Kodoku. Kneeling down, he gently shook the boy by the shoulder. When that failed to elicit a response, he checked Kodoku's vitals. His pulse was steady, and his breathing was normal.

"Matt!" Katie called, making him jump as her voice echoed around the eerily silent lab.

"Yeah?" He replied, turning his head to face her.

"Have you tried checking his collar?" Katie asked. "Maybe it's malfunctioned. Maybe you can-"

"Touch the collar and I will murderize you all!" Lithon cried.

Matt ignored him. "Good point, I'll check," he replied. He turned back to Kodoku... and was immediately greeted with the boy's face, less than an inch away from his own.

"BOO!"

Now, the word that came out of Matt's mouth next was definitely some sort of profanity, but his brain was so startled by this sudden turn of events that, by the time Matt blurted the word out, it hadn't decided which swear word it wanted to be. The result was a half-addled noise that sounded remarkably like Matt was choking on his own tongue.

"FUGARGLEBLENT!" he cried, throwing himself away from Kodoku and taking up a defensive stance, with his fists in front of his face, before he even realised he'd done it.

Kodoku, meanwhile, was still sitting cross-legged on the ground, and he burst out laughing at Matt's reaction. "Oh man..." he giggled. "You... you should see your face! That was awesome!" He clutched his sides and burst into another fit of laughter.

Matt couldn't believe his eyes. Not two minutes ago, this kid wasn't showing so much as a shred of emotion. He'd had the same blank expression with everything he did, from playing a card game to tasering a young girl. Seeking an explanation, he lowered his hands and looked across at Lithon. Unfortunately, Lithon was as shocked as him.

"Kodoku...?" Lithon said tentatively. "What... what's going on? What're you playing at?"

Matt realised he wasn't going to find any answers there, so he turned back to the boy – who was finally getting his giggles under control – and examined him carefully. On the other side of the lab, Lithon was mimicking his critical stare. What was different? What had changed?

The collar!

With a gasp, both of them had the same idea at the same moment. Matt tried to call out to Kodoku, but Lithon interrupted him. "Kodoku!" Lithon snapped. "Come over here! I need to check your collar!"

Matt initially thought Kodoku was ignoring the order, as he stood up and straightened his suit in a manner that didn't really befit a ten-year-old. But then, with no hesitation at all, Kodoku reached up and unfastened the metal collar, allowing it to come away in his hand.

Lithon's jaw dropped. He was still speechless even as Kodoku turned to him and tossed the collar in his general direction. He snatched it out of the air and brought it close to his eyes, examining it meticulously, running his fingers over the smooth surface, searching desperately for the cause of the problem. He even went so far as to crack the casing slightly and peer at the circuitry inside.

When no obvious cause presented itself, Lithon turned an angry eye on Kodoku. "You... what did you do to this thing, boy? Why is it broken?"

Kodoku shrugged. "I dunno, sorry," he said, and he sounded totally sincere.

Lithon growled in frustration. Then a nasty thought occurred to him. "Kodoku... how long has this collar been broken?"

Kodoku considered for a moment. "How long have I had it?" he asked.

"About three months."

"Then about three months."

"Are you serious?!" Lithon roared. "You mean to tell me that it's been broken since the day I gave it to you?! Impossible! I created it! It's flawless! It's perfect!" Suddenly disgusted by the sight of it, he flung the collar to one side, where it rolled through the wall of the lab and out of the augmented reality field. Matt watched him carefully, wondering if he was going to completely fly off the handle.

All of a sudden, he became aware of his three teammates standing beside him. With the duel postponed and showing no signs of continuing yet, they had decided to cross the battlefield and confront Kodoku.

He also noticed that, although Dan was standing with them and was clearly doing his best to follow the conversations, his eyes kept nervously flitting between the two Numbers towering above him. It made sense – Dan didn't really know Kodoku or Lithon, so these revelations didn't mean much to him. The Numbers, however, he was much more familiar with after watching Matt's duel with Huang, so he was far more wary of them.

"Hey Kodoku," Leah said, keeping her voice perfectly even, even though her mind was awash with questions. The boy turned to look at her quizzically. "Katie wants to talk to you."

She turned and motioned to the red-headed girl, who stepped forward to stand right in front of the boy. "Kodoku..." she said in the kindest voice she could manage, given the circumstances. "If you're not under Lithon's control, then why do you still follow his orders? And... why did you hurt me?"

"I'd very much like to know that as well," Lithon snarled. "Boy... you showed real admiration for this girl when you duelled her. So why would you go and hurt her on purpose?"

"I hurt her because you asked me to," Kodoku replied instantly.

Everyone was dumbstruck.

Both Matt and Lithon were gaping at the boy. Katie unconsciously took a small step back. Even Dan seemed taken aback by this revelation.

"Come again?" Leah breathed.

"Explain yourself, boy?" Lithon growled.

Kodoku nodded. "Um... well... it's kind of like you said, sir," he replied. "Things were bad. I didn't have a mummy or daddy growing up. All the other kids were talking about how their mummies cook them breakfast, or how they wrestle with their daddies for fun, or how they argue with their brothers and sisters... but I didn't have any of those. At school I was bullied a lot and no-one wanted to be friends with me. I told the teachers but they never listened. I don't think they even cared..."

Kodoku was starting to get upset, and despite everything, Katie found herself tearing up as well. She hated seeing children cry, and she just wanted to give him a big hug and tell him it's all going to be alright. But she couldn't bring herself to forget the dangerous weapon hidden in Kodoku's jacket, so she kept her distance.

"But Doctor Lithon cared," he continued, brightening up. "He helped me with all my bullying problems, he helped me catch up with my schoolwork, and he was always there to listen when I was having a hard time. He even gave me a place to stay so I wouldn't have to go back to the orphanage." He turned to look admiringly at the mad scientist. "I really like him. To me he's like a daddy. So I've done everything he asked me to do."

"You can't be serious," Katie gasped. "That's why you hurt me?"

Kodoku nodded. "I'd carry out any order he gave me. Seriously, I'd probably tear off one of your arms and feed it to you – with a smile on my face and everything – if Doctor Lithon asked me to." Then he turned back to his 'master' and his voice took on a more apologetic note. "I faked being brainwashed because I thought you'd be cross if you know what really happened. But I've still done everything you wanted sir, so you're not cross with me, are you?"

Lithon, it seemed, had finally gotten over both his initial shock and his temper tantrum from earlier. Now he was thinking back on everything the boy had done. _'It's true,' _he thought. _'The boy has followed my every instruction to the letter, and never disobeyed or questioned me once.'_

Beyond this, however, he had also started to consider something else entirely. Several ideas and implications were flooding his mind, all culminating in one single, grand scheme. On the outside he remained stoic, but now that such an idea had occurred to him he was practically whooping on the inside. The possibilities were endless! In a space far at the back of his mind, a smoky, pulsating number eighty-nine was silently egging him on. It wasn't enough for Lithon to notice what was going on – it was just a tiny nudge here, an amplified thought there, and the occasional whispered suggestion, until Lithon's conviction was completely set in stone. He didn't even care about the duel anymore, only about the ideas swirling around in his head.

"No..." he said slowly. "No, I don't think I am."

Kodoku's face lit up. "Awesome! So what do you want me to do now, sir?"

Again, Lithon was slow to answer, as he was having to contend with all the ideas in his head that this turn of events had presented. "Kodoku... my boy..." he said finally. "I want you to finish this duel."

"You want me to beat him, sir?" Kodoku asked.

"Well obviously I want you to beat him!" Lithon snapped. "But if you cannot, then it's not the end of the world. One way or another, I want this duel over, and I want it over fast. Can you do that?"

"Yes sir!" Kodoku beamed, before turning back to his opponent, who was still standing a few feet away with a horrified look on his face. "My turn, draw! I activate the effect of my Field Spell, **Aquabot Emergency Rituals**!"

The lights in the lab flashed red, and an alarm reverberated around the otherwise silent room. Katie was practically standing on Kodoku's field, and she gasped and leapt back as a floor panel beside her fell away, and a giant test tube rose up where it had been.

"Everyone get back, quickly!" Matt cried, as he bade a swift retreat to his side of the field. He knew what Kodoku was doing – Lithon had ordered him to finish the duel fast, and he'd taken it to heart. He was trying to end this duel as fast as he possibly could, irrespective of the bystanders who were still on the battlefield, and would get hurt if they didn't get out the way.

"Using the effect of my Field Spell," Kodoku was explaining, "once per turn, I can perform a Ritual Summon for any Aquabot monster in my hand. Although, since this isn't actually a Ritual Spell Card, I can't use my Number's effect." He shrugged. "Oh well, I'll do what I can. I Tribute Sonic Bird in my hand, to Ritual Summon **Aquabot Research**!" The turbo-powered bird appeared within the test tube, which quickly began to fill with a bluish liquid. The bird squawked in pain as the liquid slowly ate away at it, until it was completely dissolved into the solution.

Suddenly, the glass casing of the test tube was blown outwards. Shards of glass rained across the lab, and the three retreating kids threw themselves down to avoid them. From out of the test tube stepped... something. It was a simple humanoid construct, but was made of the same blue liquid that the previous Aquabot had been made of, with circuitry flashing away inside it. It carried a large briefcase in both hands, which had another code printed onto its lid, CODE: 3*1D3z!^^3/732

**Aquabot Research: Machine-Type/Ritual/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1400**

**Aquabot Research: ATK 1000 **→** 1400/DEF 1400 **→ **1800**

"Now I activate **Aquabot Research**'s effect!" Kodoku declared. "If I Ritual Summon it, I can return one card on the field to owner's hand. I target **Number 44: Vták Ohnivák**!" The formal-looking humanoid quickly snapped opened the briefcase and pulled out a rack of bottles and test tubes. Faster than the eye could follow, the monster began mixing and remixing many of the different chemicals. Finally, when it had found a mixture that it liked, it hurled the beaker at the great phoenix. The beaker shattered on contact, splattering the chemicals over the Number. Apparently the chemicals were highly flammable, as the bird instantly let out an ear-splitting screech and burst into a ball of flames. The fireball only lasted for a few seconds before fading away into nothingness, and the three Overlay Units surrounding it dissipated.

Matt gritted his teeth. _'Not good,' _he thought. _'Not good at all…'_

"Battle!" Kodoku shouted, his enthusiasm leaking out into the form of a wide grin, which would've looked cute on any other ten-year-old, but with him it just served to accentuate how twisted he had become. "**Number 90: Shiki Summoner**, direct attack!"

* * *

Author-made cards:

Aquabot Research (credit to Superjad)  
Machine-Type/Ritual/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1400  
Can be Normal Summoned (from your hand). You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card. When this card is Normal Summoned: Add 1 "Aquabot" monster from your Deck to your hand and send 1 "Aquabot" Spell Card from your Deck to the Graveyard. If this card is Ritual Summoned: Target 1 card on the field; return it to the hand. If the monster that was Ritual Summoned using this card destroys a monster by battle, the controller of the Ritual Monster Special Summons 1 "Aquabot" monster from their Graveyard.

Number 90: Shiki Summoner (credit to Superjad)  
Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2800  
3 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn, when the effect of a Ritual Spell Card that you activated resolves, you can use 1 Overlay Unit attached to this card as the entire Tribute (it is treated as a face-up monster you control).

Number 44: Vták Ohnivák  
Winged Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1800  
2 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. During the next Standby Phase after this card was destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can activate 1 of these effects. ●Attach the destroyed monster to this card as an Overlay Unit, instead of sending it to the Graveyard. ●Detach 3 Overlay Units from this card; destroy all cards on the field.

Aquabot Emergency Rituals (credit to Superjad)  
Field Spell Card  
Face-up monsters with the words "Ritual Monster", "Ritual Spell Card" and/or "Ritual Summon" in their card text gain 400 ATK and DEF. Once per turn: You can choose 1 "Aquabot" Ritual Monster in your hand, Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal the Level of the chosen monster, and Special Summon the chosen monster from your hand (this Special Summon is treated as a Ritual Summon with an "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card). Your maximum number of Normal Summons/Sets each turn is 0. You can discard any number of Ritual Spell Cards; your maximum number of Normal Summons this turn is equal to the number of cards discarded. You cannot Normal Summon non-"Aquabot" monsters.

* * *

**Fun Fact #18: To all the people who liked Kodoku... sorry, but it turns out that he's not so innocent in all this after all.**

**Fun Fact #19: Just so everyone is aware, the name Shiki Summoner comes from the Japanese word 'gishiki', meaning ritual. Incidentally, this is how the Gishki monsters got their name in the TCG, because in the OCG their names were 'Ritua', which would've been very confusing when they came over here, as a lot of completely unrelated cards in the TCG have 'ritua' in their name. That name swap translates the play on words pretty well. Kudos Konami.  
**

**Fun Fact #20: According to FanFictionDotNet's spell-checker, 'FUGARGLEBLENT' isn't a word. *Gasp* You don't say!**

**Fun Fact #21: Actually, here's something else that FanFictionDotNet's proofreader is doing - it's flagging up 'complex expressions'. As in, whenever we write the word maximum, it asks if we want to change it to greatest/largest/most. Other changes they suggested include accentuate **→** stress; perform **→** do; previous **→** earlier; initial **→** first, and so on. This is less annoying, and more really patronising. FanFictionDotNet, the readers have come to this site because they want to read things. I'm relatively certain that they can handle complicated words like 'perform'. You're treating your readers (and, by extension, your writers) like babies, FanFictionDotNet, and you should be ashamed of yourself.**

**Fun Fact #22: Who remembers Scooby-Doo? Well, for those that remember, you may have noticed that, between the last chapter and this one, we made a very obscure reference to that show. In Scooby-Doo, Fred would usually design a plan to catch the villain, and the plan's success would always depend on the following rule: If Fred explains the plan onscreen, it will fail. If he doesn't, it will succeed. So that's how you know Matt's plan with Rising Energy would fail in this chapter, since he fully explained it in the previous chapter.**


	5. Chapter 5

**Quick Note: A new poll is up on our profile page, where you can vote for your three favourite characters. Enjoy.  
**

* * *

**Kodoku LP:** 2700

**Number 90: Shiki Summoner: Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2800/DEF 3200 – 2 OLU**

**Aquabot Research: Machine-Type/Ritual/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 1400/DEF 1800**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: **Aquabot Emergency Rituals**, Call of the Haunted

**Matt LP:** 1200

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 2 set cards

"**Number 90: Shiki Summoner**, direct attack!" Kodoku cried, and the humanoid behind him responded by taking a few serene steps forward towards Matt. Her footsteps produced no noise, even in the silent and enclosed space – she seemed to be stepping across the air rather than the hard floor. Matt was half convinced that the Number would have a deceptively kind expression, if it had any facial features at all. But now the Number was drawing ever closer, he had no time to speculate, only to act.

"I activate the Trap Card, Call of the Haunted," Matt said desperately, triggering one of his set cards. "It lets me revive a monster from my Graveyard in Attack Position. So come on out, **Gladiator of Eoseuleum – Ronkaku**!" The black thickly-armoured warrior, still carrying its massive spear, reappeared on Matt's field.

**Gladiator of Eoseuleum – Ronkaku: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1200**

"I call a replay," Kodoku replied quickly. "Shiki Summoner, redirect your attack to that monster!" The Number shifted its inferred gaze from Matt to his new monster, and reached down with its staff, as though to tap Ronkaku on the forehead.

"Then I'll activate my other Trap Card, Rising Energy!" Matt declared. His remaining face-down activated. _'Not the ideal scenario,' _he thought to himself. _'But it's all I've got left. I have to stop this attack!' _Clearing his mind, he resumed his move. "Due to Rising Energy, by discarding one card from my hand, I can increase the ATK of any monster on the field by 1500 until the End Phase." As quick as he could, he plucked the Familiar Knight card from his hand and sent it to the Graveyard.

**Gladiator of Eoseuleum – Ronkaku: ATK 2200 **→** 3700**

"So now it looks like you're attacking a monster with higher ATK," Matt observed. "Which means that you take the difference as damage."

Ever so gently, Shiki Summoner did exactly what it looked like she was about to do – she tapped the warrior lightly on the head with the tip of her staff. As she did so, a globule of water suddenly emerged from the end and surrounded Ronkaku, encasing it in a sphere of water. Then, without warning the water flashed a bright blue and was replaced with a raging blue fireball.

Ronkaku gave out a cry of rage and started running forwards. Being a non-Number, it couldn't destroy Numbers by battle, so it ignored it and ran straight at Kodoku. Neglecting its hefty spear, it instead threw its arms around Kodoku, pulling him into a bear hug. The boy shouted in anguish as the flames clinging to the warrior also engulfed him. After a few seconds, the flames died out, and the smouldering warrior released Kodoku and retreated.

**Kodoku LP:** 2700 → 1800

Despite everything, Kodoku simply picked up where he left off and continued his turn, albeit with a more wary expression. "I activate the Continuous Spell Card, Ritual Cage!" He placed the Spell on his duel disk, and as he did so, a row of shining pillars rose up from the ground, forming a barred wall in front of **Aquabot Research**. "As long as this card is in play, I take no Battle Damage when Ritual Monsters battle, and my Ritual Monsters can't be targeted or destroyed by monster eff-"

Quite suddenly, he stopped, staring at Matt's monster. The spectator's did likewise.

The moment the Spell Card resolved, a look of horror crossed Ronkaku's face under its helmet. It threw up its arms as if to shield itself from a bright light, then all it once, it dissipated into a shower of light particles.

"Eh?" Kodoku said bemusedly. "What happened? Where'd he go?"

"It's his effect," Matt explained reluctantly. "Whenever a Spell Card is activated, this monster immediately destroys itself."

"Wow..." said Kodoku. "At first I thought that card was kinda cool because it was so strong for a Level four monster. But with an effect like that... it kinda stinks."

"Tell me about it," Matt muttered. "Hefty power comes with a hefty price."

"Kodoku!" Lithon snapped. "I ordered you to finish this duel, not stand around chatting! Now get back to it!"

Kodoku gasped. "Sorry sir. Um... I end my turn."

Matt nodded. "Then it's my turn, I draw. First, I Special Summon Double Delta Warrior!" A thin warrior appeared, sporting a sickly-green chest plate, with long blue flags inserted into the shoulder pads.

Double Delta Warrior: Warrior-Type/WIND/Level 6/ATK 0/DEF 2200

"Double Delta Warrior can be Special Summoned from my hand if all the monsters currently in play are on your field," Matt explained. "It's only downside is that, if I use it for a Synchro Summon, I can't conduct my Battle Phase this turn. Fortunately, I don't plan on using it as a Synchro Material Monster." He took another card from his hand. "I Tribute Double Delta Warrior, to Tribute Summon Dododo Buster!" The skinny warrior disappeared, only to be replaced by another copy of the golden-armoured warrior from earlier in the duel.

Dododo Buster: Warrior-Type/EARTH/Level 6/ATK 1900/DEF 600

"Dododo Buster's effect activates," Matt continued. "When it's Tribute Summoned, I can Special Summon any monster with Dododo in its name from my Graveyard in face-up Defence Position. I choose my other Dododo Buster!" The second copy of the monster materialized to join the first.

Dododo Buster: Warrior-Type/EARTH/Level 6/ATK 1900/DEF 600

"Now then, both Level six Dododo Busters, Overlay!" The two identical warriors morphed into orange amorphous masses, which shot into the sky to make way for the galaxy-shaped portal that opened beneath their feet. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" Both Xyz Material Monsters spiralled down into the portal, which erupted upwards. "Rise up! **Number 51: Dark Excalibur**!"

As a dark red fifty-one etched itself onto the back of Matt's right hand, a dull black sphere of metal rose out of the residue, with wicked-looking spikes protruding from the sides. Streaks of red shot across the sphere, etching intricate patterns into its surface, and with a grinding noise, the sphere began to separate along them. Slowly, the sphere changed its shape - separating, reconnecting, and slowly changing - into the likeness of a warrior in pitch black armour. It wore no helmet, and was outlined with a red glow, which only made it look darker. The fearsome spikes were now attached to its shoulders, which gave its armour a fierce appearance. The warrior stretched out its arms, its blood-red cape billowing out behind it, then reached behind it and drew its sword with a cry of war. The sword was split at the handle, so it appeared as two blades running up from the hilt. The blade itself was covered with runes, and the red number fifty-one was visible on the front of the monster's right shoulder. Its two purple Overlay Units circled it.

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000 – 2 OLU**

Quite unexpectedly, Lithon's D-Gazer let out a sharp beep, and he reacted with a pleased exclamation. "Wonderful! Splendid! Young hunter, that card is your original Number, isn't it?"

Matt froze, suddenly alert. "Maybe. What of it?"

"Nothing my boy, please continue," Lithon said smugly. He knew, perhaps better than anyone else, that a person's true Number could reveal a lot about that person, since Numbers were a manifestation of their original owner's deepest desires. Right now, his D-Gazer was discretely collecting information about Number 51 – images, stats, abilities, mannerisms, previous duels, everything – which he would be able to analyse properly when he got back to his lab.

In fact, Lithon had told them as much a while ago, but Matt had long since forgotten about it, as he'd had a lot to think about between then and now. So instead of taking Lithon's suspicious behaviour as a warning, he chose to disregard it and continued with his move.

"Battle!" he declared. "Dark Excalibur, attack **Aquabot Researcher**!" The Number brandished its blade, and with a shout, leapt across the entire length of the lab, landing nimbly in front of Kodoku's Ritual Monster, behind the line of bars. The formal-looking jelly-man stared up in fear as the warrior brought its blade around in a huge arc, cleaving the monster in two. Continuing its swing overhead, Dark Excalibur made to bring the sword around in a full circle to attack Kodoku, but another row of shining bars shot up out of the ground, stopping the sword dead.

"Due to Ritual Cage's effect, since the monster you attacked was a Ritual Monster, I take no Battle Damage," Kodoku explained.

"I'm aware," Matt replied. "I place two cards face-down and end my turn."

Everyone did a double-take.

Matt's set cards had appeared, but something was odd about them. They were offset. They weren't on the same line. One card had appeared in his Spell & Trap Card Zone as normal, but the other one had instead chosen to appear directly beside Matt, mere inches away from his right foot.

Kodoku was struggling with himself. He wanted to ask Matt what was wrong with his face-down cards, but was also very aware of the order Lithon had given him to finish this duel fast. Eventually, however, it was Leah who solved this conundrum for him.

"Hey Matt, what's going on with your field?" she called.

Matt turned to her and cracked a rare grin. "Come on guys," he said. "This one should be obvious. Think. What type of Spell or Trap Card doesn't really belong with the other Spell and Trap Cards?"

Leah gasped. "Field Spells!" she said. Then she frowned in confusion. It was obvious what question was on her mind, but she didn't dare speak it in case it gave away Matt's plan.

Fortunately for her, Lithon was not so subtle. "So you're telling me that you've decided to Set a Field Spell Card?" he asked. "Have you lost your mind, boy? Why would you Set it rather than activating it?"

"Yeah," Kodoku chirped. "If you had activated it, it would've destroyed my Field Spell, so my Number would've got weaker and your Number would be able to destroy it. So why didn't you?"

Matt simply stared back at him, refusing to answer the question. "If I were you Kodoku," he said finally, "I would hurry up and start my turn. You wouldn't want to annoy your precious Lithon, now would you?"

Kodoku gasped and quickly refocused on the duel. "My turn, draw! I activate the Spell Card, Generation Force!" The Spell appeared on his field. "With this card, if I control an Xyz Monster, I can add any card with the word Xyz in its name from my Deck to my hand. I choose Xyz Double Back!" His duel disk extracted the card, and he placed it in his hand.

Katie's eyes widened in shock. "No! Not that!" she said.

Dan looked at her, confused. "What? What's the matter? What's he planning to do?"

"He's going to ram **Number 90: Shiki Summoner** into **Number 51: Dark Excalibur** and destroy them both," Katie explained, keeping her voice down so that neither duelist would overhear. "Then he'll use Xyz Double Back to revive his monster and attack with it again."

"Ah," Dan said, nodding with understanding. "So not good then?"

"Really not good," Katie agreed.

"About as not good as things can get," Leah added.

Kodoku, meanwhile, was preparing for his final move. "Battle! Go, Shiki Summoner, attack Dark Excalibur!" The enemy Number took a step forward...

And only then did Matt react. "That was reckless, Kodoku," he said calmly. "Very reckless. Sorry about this, but by ordering that attack, you've lost."

"Huh? How?" Kodoku asked.

"A trick I learnt from you," Matt went on. "A trick that you taught me right at the start of the duel. A trick that you probably don't even realise you've taught me."

"What? What do you mean? What?" Kodoku asked nervously.

Matt grinned. "You showed me a very unique way of using Field Spell Cards during battle," he said. "What you don't know is that I took that on board, because I have the perfect card in my Deck to abuse a strategy like that. The only problem is, I was never able to use this card to its fullest potential until you showed me strategies like that." He glanced up at the Number, which was starting to draw closer. "Well, no sense waiting any longer. You ready for this, Kodoku?"

"Um..."

"Good," Matt grinned. "Then here it comes. I activate the Field _Trap_ Card, **Eoseuleum's Colosseum of Candlelight**!"

* * *

Author-made cards:

Gladiator of Eoseuleum - Ronkaku  
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1200  
This card inflicts Piercing Damage. If a Spell Card is activated, destroy this card.

Aquabot Research (credit to Superjad)  
Machine-Type/Ritual/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1000/DEF 1400  
Can be Normal Summoned (from your hand). You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card. When this card is Normal Summoned: Add 1 "Aquabot" monster from your Deck to your hand and send 1 "Aquabot" Spell Card from your Deck to the Graveyard. If this card is Ritual Summoned: Target 1 card on the field; return it to the hand. If the monster that was Ritual Summoned using this card destroys a monster by battle, the controller of the Ritual Monster Special Summons 1 "Aquabot" monster from their Graveyard.

Number 90: Shiki Summoner (credit to Superjad)  
Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2800  
3 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn, when the effect of a Ritual Spell Card that you activated resolves, you can use 1 Overlay Unit attached to this card as the entire Tribute (it is treated as a face-up monster you control).

Number 51: Dark Excalibur  
Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000  
2 Level 6 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. This card is unaffected by Spell effects. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; this card immediately attacks again. While this card has no Overlay Units attached to it, you cannot activate Spell Cards.

Aquabot Emergency Rituals (credit to Superjad)  
Field Spell Card  
Face-up monsters with the words "Ritual Monster", "Ritual Spell Card" and/or "Ritual Summon" in their card text gain 400 ATK and DEF. Once per turn: You can choose 1 "Aquabot" Ritual Monster in your hand, Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal the Level of the chosen monster, and Special Summon the chosen monster from your hand (this Special Summon is treated as a Ritual Summon with an "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card). Your maximum number of Normal Summons/Sets each turn is 0. You can discard any number of Ritual Spell Cards; your maximum number of Normal Summons this turn is equal to the number of cards discarded. You cannot Normal Summon non-"Aquabot" monsters.

* * *

**Fun Fact #23: Yep, that is in fact a Field Trap Card. What of it?**

**Fun Fact #24: Those of you who are really observant may have noticed that we made an allusion to this card a long time ago. Almost nine months ago, in fact. It was referenced in Chapter 7 of the Seaside Hunting story, in Fun Fact #21, where we described it as a _Very Special Trap Card_. Hopefully the end result will be significantly _Very Special_. Don't worry, we'll explain all the mechanics fully in the next chapter. Until then, feel free to speculate.**

**Fun Fact #25: So, let's talk about the ZEXAL canon for a moment. Alit and Gilag are injured, and Misael has been forced to retreat with them. We're not sure what's going to happen next, but regardless, we're all really hoping that those three characters remain a part of the ZEXAL story right to the end. They're easily the best 'villains' in Yugioh history, for so many reasons: They have personalities beyond total dedication to their cause, they're each complex and diverse and unique (even amongst themselves), they're intrigued by Earth culture, they mess about and slack off, they show real passion during duels, and they interact with each other on a level rarely seen outside of protagonist relationships.  
**


	6. Chapter 6

******Quick Note: A new poll is up on our profile page, where you can vote for your three favourite characters. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Kodoku LP:** 1800

**Number 90: Shiki Summoner: Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2800/DEF 3200 – 2 OLU**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: **Aquabot Emergency Rituals**, Call of the Haunted, Ritual Cage

**Matt LP:** 1200

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000 – 2 OLU**

Spell & Trap Card Zone: 1 set card (Field Zone), 1 set card

"I activate the Field _Trap_ Card, **Eoseuleum's Colosseum of Candlelight**!" Matt declared. The Field Card Zone on his duel disk opened up, whereupon he took hold of the card inside and flipped it over. At the same time, the face-down card next to him flipped up, revealing that Matt had in fact been telling the truth. It was indeed a Field Trap Card.

A deep rumbling sound echoed beneath their feet, and the floor of the lab began to shake. Lithon and the other three Deltas struggled to keep their footing as the entire lab was literally shaken apart. A giant crack ran up one of the walls, and a bright orange light pierced through the crack and lit up the empty room. More cracks followed it, puncturing the walls and even the ceiling, until the whole room was filled with the orange glow.

Then with a final explosive retort, the ceiling collapsed. Kodoku squeaked with fright and covered his head to protect it from the falling debris.

It never came. Puzzled, he opened his eyes.

There was no falling debris. Nor was there a lab. The entire room had disappeared, to be replaced by the jaw-dropping scenery he now beheld. They were standing on a perfectly circular battleground, surrounded on all sides by rows and rows of stone seats, sloping upwards and away in a tiered fashion. At the top layer, stone walls ran up even higher vertically, completely enclosing them within the amphitheatre. The walls were weren't infallible, as many arcs and podiums were arranged across its surface. The bright orange light they had seen before – which they now realised was from the setting sun – now blazed through the upper levels of the colosseum, turning the sky a deep orange colour.

Each and every person present, besides Matt, stared at their new surroundings in total awe.

"Since a new Field Card has been activated, your **Aquabot Emergency Rituals **is destroyed, so your Number loses its ATK boost," Matt said, his voice no longer echoing as much in the new environment.

**Number 90: Shiki Summoner: ATK 2800 **→** 2400/DEF 3200 **→** 2800**

"In addition," he continued, "this card increases the ATK of all Warrior-Type monsters on the field by 100 for each Warrior-Type monster in either player's Graveyard." He raised his duel disk. "I'm the only one with Warriors in my Graveyard, so let's count them off. I have **Gladiator of Eoseuleum – Ronkaku**, Double Delta Warrior, and the Familiar Knight which I discarded to use Rising Energy. That's three, so my Number gains 300 ATK."

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: ATK 2800 **→** 3100**

Kodoku realised that his Number was doomed, but he didn't seem too distraught about it. "Ah well," he said. "It sucks to lose my best card, but at least I won't lose the duel." Shiki Summon reached out with the tip of its staff to tap the now-stronger Number, even as it had done to Ronkaku before.

But still Matt wasn't finished. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card, Space Cyclone!" he declared, triggering his final set card. "This card detaches one Overlay Unit from any monster on the field, and sends it to the Graveyard." He stared intently at Shiki Summoner's Overlay Units, watching their orbits carefully. Finally, he pointed. "That one!"

In response, a maelström of cosmic wind burst from the card, sailed straight past Matt's Number, and smashed into Shiki Summoner. The gelatinous humanoid stumbled back, and one of its Overlay Units was swept out of its gentle orbit and dissipated.

**Number 90: Shiki Summoner: 2 **→** 1 OLU**

"The Overlay Unit I detached was Dark Blade," Matt explained. "You may remember how you used Monster Reborn to steal Dark Blade from my Graveyard, then used it to Xyz Summon that thing. It's been attached to your monster as an Overlay Unit all this time." He looked down at his duel disk. "But now that it's back in my Graveyard, it counts towards the boost from my Field Trap Card."

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: ATK 3100 **→** 3200**

"Um..." Kodoku was looking pretty confused by this point. "Why'd you do that? A 100 point boost doesn't really make much difference. Seems kinda pointless..."

"The point wasn't to gain that boost," Matt replied. "The point was to activate a Spell Card. You see, my Field Trap Card has another effect – an effect that only activates in response to a player activating a Spell Card. So since I've just activated a Spell, let's do exactly that!" He raised his hand. "I activate the effect of **Eoseuleum's Colosseum of Candlelight**!" Once per turn, when either player activates a Spell Card, I can discard one Eoseuleum monster from my hand to apply this effect!" He discarded **Paladin of Eoseuleum – Kishi**.

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: ATK 3200 **→** 3300**

"Now, until the End Phase of this turn, all face-up Warrior-Type monsters I control gain an additional 1000 ATK and cannot be destroyed by card effects." With the sound of rushing wind, Number 51 was enveloped with a burning orange aura that flickered and danced like the flame on a candle.

**Number 51: Dark Excalibur: ATK 3300 **→** 4300**

Kodoku gasped with horror. "No way! It can't be-"

"I disagree," Matt replied. "Now the difference between our monsters' ATKs is 1900, which is enough to wipe out all your Life Points in one go." He looked up at Shiki Summoner and beckoned it closer. "Come on then, beastie!" he called. "Continue your attack!"

By this point, Shiki Summoner had regained its footing after the pummelling it had taken from the wind, and was once again crossing the battleground with perfectly serene steps. With no sense of haste or urgency, she brought the tip of her staff around to point at Dark Excalibur, and held it there, inches from its face, daring it to make a move. Dark Excalibur just stood there, ignoring the weapon and glaring at the enemy Number.

For a moment, everything was still.

Suddenly, quick as a flash, Dark Excalibur's hand darted forward and grabbed the shaft of the weapon. With a prodigious display of strength, it gave the staff a mighty pull, which yanked Shiki Summoner forwards. The humanoid Number overbalanced and began to fall, toppling towards Matt's Number. In its other hand, Dark Excalibur tightened its grip on its own weapon...

With a flash of red, the warrior slashed upwards, slicing straight through Shiki Summoner's radiant body.

The explosion was extraordinary. Shiki Summoner had never been human, and now it lost all pretence. Its entire body erupted with light, ripping its torso in two before both segments evaporated from the heat. Kodoku gasped as he felt the pain from his Number's destruction, then screamed as he was swept off his feet by the explosion.

**Kodoku LP:** 1800 → 0

**Matt LP:** 1200 [WINNER]

The electronic claxon echoed across the colosseum, sounding completely out-of-place inside the ancient arena. The remaining cards and monsters dissipated, and the augmented reality descended around them, taking the stone walls of the colosseum with it.

As quickly as he could, Matt activated his band, sending several tendrils of light towards Kodoku's prone form. He half expected Lithon to intercept them, to use some sort of gadget, or to otherwise prevent Matt from extracting the Number. But to his intense relief, Lithon just stood there and allowed Matt to go about his business. Matt relaxed slightly as the tendrils reached Kodoku, passing straight through his chest and into his body. He knew that if Lithon had used some form of trickery to block the effects of his band, he would've been forced to retreat – Lithon's technology was far superior, and Matt wasn't convinced he'd be able to fight it.

Suddenly, a disturbance in the extraction process caught his attention, and he closed his eyes to examine the situation fully. At once, he recognised the problem.

The tendrils had already located Number 90 and were hooked around it, ready to pull it out. But there was a second Number, hidden deeper within Kodoku's soul. And this one was stuck fast. Try as he might, Matt couldn't shift the creature, either with cunning nudges or with brute force. After a minute of fussing and fretting, he realised that he was getting nowhere, and reluctantly abandoned the mystery Number as a lost cause. Tightening his grip on Number 90, he gave a gentle tug and felt it come free without any difficulty. Satisfied, he pulled all the way.

On the outside, the tendrils from Matt's band finally retracted, carrying with them the glowing Number, which they deposited gently into Matt's outstretched palm before dissipating. He watched the pitch-black number ninety flash across the back of his hand, then pocketed the card and glared at Lithon. He knew Lithon was somehow to blame for this; the last time they'd tried to extract some of Lithon's Numbers, they had run into exactly the same problem. Two of them came away without incident, but the third one was stubborn and refused to move. Worse, Lithon had quickly regained consciousness and assaulted Leah. It had been chaos.

Now, however, Lithon seemed remarkably calm. He spread his hands wide and smiled. "Well, now that that's taken care of," he said loudly, "I suppose I'd better get going." He took a step towards Kodoku.

Matt was closer, and before Lithon realised what was happening, Matt was standing right in front of Kodoku, between the boy and Lithon. "Sorry pal, but no," he said firmly. "You can leave, but Kodoku stays here."

Lithon's eyes narrowed. "Pardon me?"

"You heard me," Matt retorted. "I think Kodoku's spent far too much time with you. We're taking him to the authorities, and they can set him up with a proper family, or return him to the care system. Either way, your role in his life is finished. If it's the last thing I ever do, I'm going to keep him safe from you!"

"Attempting to stand between me and him may well be the last thing you ever do," Lithon growled, taking another step forward. "Now stand aside, boy."

Matt raised his right hand and pointed at Lithon, the metal band around his wrist reflecting the sunlight. "Stay where you are!" he ordered, with the most authoritative voice he could muster.

Lithon froze.

Matt didn't really know what he was doing. He didn't know what would happen if he attempted to activate his band now, and he didn't know what sort of effect it would have on Lithon, if any. He knew only one thing... Lithon hated the bands. Last time Matt had used it on him, Lithon had gone into a frenzy, to the point of attempting to choke Leah to death just to get the tendrils out of his body. It had taken the combined effort of all the other four members of Team Delta to save her and resolve the situation, at which point Lithon had fled the scene.

Taking their cue from him, Leah and Katie both raised their banded arms to point at Lithon, creating three lines of potential attack that Lithon had to watch. Sensing that the situation was escalating, Dan also pointed his arm at Lithon in the same way the others were doing, although he needn't have bothered. He wasn't wearing a band – having no reason to after losing his own Numbers – so even if a fight did break out, he wouldn't be of much use.

Lithon's lips curled into a grin. "Stalemate," he muttered.

"No," Matt replied. "It's just a way of making you behave yourself for a moment. We're going to take Kodoku, and you're going to remain exactly where you are until we're gone, understood?"

"And what happens if I don't?" Lithon asked, still grinning.

"Then I'll use this on you," Matt replied, flicking his wrist to show off the band.

"And then what?" Lithon said, contempt dripping from his voice. "Do you honestly think that thing will stop me?"

"Not at all," Matt said, trying to sound confident. "But while you're struggling to deal with me, my three comrades will just swoop in and take Kodoku anyway. So if you want my advice, I suggest that you make this easier on everyone, and just let us-" A movement in the corner of his eye caught his attention. Reacting instinctively, he threw up his left arm, still wearing his duel disk, to protect himself.

The clang of metal striking metal echoed across the field.

While they had been talking, Kodoku had regained consciousness. The taser was back in his hand, and had taken a swing at Matt with it. The casing of duel disks were insulated against electricity, and Kodoku didn't have enough muscle to put any force into the swing, so Matt was mostly unharmed by the attack. Nevertheless, Kodoku's swiftness was all too fresh in his mind, and he didn't want to get into a fight if he could help it.

Using strength alone, Matt pushed Kodoku's arm away from his body, then leapt back and retreated to a safe distance with his teammates. Kodoku didn't pursue him, but rather bade a similar retreat to stand by Lithon's side. Lithon hadn't moved, but was looking at Kodoku with a mixture of pride and smugness.

Katie was mortified. "Kodoku... don't do this," she pleaded. "You're not thinking straight. Lithon isn't your friend, he's just using you-"

"Don't listen to them Kodoku," Lithon said, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I am your friend and your guardian, and so long as you remain loyal to me, that shall never change." Kodoku beamed, and Lithon patted him on the shoulder. "Well then, shall we go home? After today's events, I have a great number of experiments to run, and I believe that you can... *ahem* help me with a few of them. How's that sound, boy?"

"Brilliant!" Kodoku grinned. "Let's go now!"

Lithon nodded, and together the two of them turned and walked towards the exit to the field. Matt watched them go helplessly, clenching his fist so hard that his fingernails dug into his skin.

_'Damnit…'_

*SOME TIME LATER*

James, who was still happily typing away on his computer, almost jumped out of his skin as the door was flung open, and the rest of his team walked in. "Sup guys?" he said, regaining his composure. "How'd it go?"

No-one said anything. Matt marched straight past him and into his room, slamming the door behind him so hard that the walls shook. Katie made a beeline for the sofa and collapsed in a heap onto it, burying her face in a cushion. Dan hovered around uncertainly, unsure of who to try and comfort first.

"What?" James said, confused. "What happened? Did everything go ok?"

"Let me put it this way James," Leah replied, stepping past him on her way to her own bedroom. "You were too late to help."

* * *

Author-made cards:

Number 90: Shiki Summoner (credit to Superjad)  
Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2800  
3 Level 4 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn, when the effect of a Ritual Spell Card that you activated resolves, you can use 1 Overlay Unit attached to this card as the entire Tribute (it is treated as a face-up monster you control).

Number 51: Dark Excalibur  
Warrior-Type/Xyz/DARK/Rank 6/ATK 2800/DEF 2000  
2 Level 6 monsters  
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. This card is unaffected by Spell effects. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; this card immediately attacks again. While this card has no Overlay Units attached to it, you cannot activate Spell Cards.

Aquabot Emergency Rituals (credit to Superjad)  
Field Spell Card  
Face-up monsters with the words "Ritual Monster", "Ritual Spell Card" and/or "Ritual Summon" in their card text gain 400 ATK and DEF. Once per turn: You can choose 1 "Aquabot" Ritual Monster in your hand, Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal the Level of the chosen monster, and Special Summon the chosen monster from your hand (this Special Summon is treated as a Ritual Summon with an "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card). Your maximum number of Normal Summons/Sets each turn is 0. You can discard any number of Ritual Spell Cards; your maximum number of Normal Summons this turn is equal to the number of cards discarded. You cannot Normal Summon non-"Aquabot" monsters.

Eoseuleum's Colosseum of Candlelight  
Field Trap Card  
Face-up Warrior-Type monsters gain 100 ATK for each Warrior-Type monster in either player's Graveyard. Once per turn, when a Spell Card is activated: You can send 1 "Eoseuleum" monster from your hand to the Graveyard; until the End Phase, face-up Warrior-Type monsters you currently control gain 1000 ATK and cannot be destroyed by card effects.

* * *

**Fun Fact #26: Wow, that young man has some serious issues. And Kodoku's pretty messed up too.  
**

**Fun Fact #27: As some of you may have noticed, the Deltas have recently just been dragging themselves from one trainwreck to the next, with very little in the way of triumph. Well, ladies and gentlemen, we're pleased to announce that, for the moment, this trend is over. This is the turning point, where things start to get better.  
**

**Fun Fact #28: The concept of Field Trap Cards has existed in the game for a _very_ long time. Back as far as the original series, in fact. The only documented case of a Field Trap Card appearing was during Episode 22 of the Yu-Gi-Oh! R manga, where Yugi used one (Sand Fortress) against Depre. The rulings and mechanics of this card type - outside of the peculiar world of manga rulings - can be easily deduced by comparing them to an existing card type of a similar nature: the Equip Traps (D - Shield, Blast with Chain, etc). Equip Trap Cards are treated as both Equip Cards and Trap Cards after resolution, but _not_ Equip Spell Cards. Therefore, it seems that the same mechanics would apply here: Field Trap Cards are treated as both Field Cards and Trap Cards, but _not_ Field Spell Cards.**

**Fun Fact #29: Regarding support, both Equip Spells and Equip Traps (and Equip Monsters, I suppose) are affected by cards that support "Equip Cards", but an Equip Trap wouldn't be supported by a card that states "Equip Spell Card", and vice versa. Similarly, both Field Spells and Field Traps would be affected by cards that support "Field Cards". Unfortunately, no such card exists (we checked the Japanese text for Terraforming, the Earthbound Immortals, etc - they all support Field Spell Cards specifically). This means that, short of destroying currently active Field Cards with more flexibility, Field Trap Cards don't have a lot of synergy with other cards in the game.  
**

**Fun Fact #30: The Yu-Gi-Oh! manga series' always have wonderful and interesting cards, which even the most experienced of players may never have even heard of, like Field Traps. Other such examples include Trap-Spell Cards (which behave very similarly to Quick-Play Spells, but are treated as both a Spell and a Trap), Virus Cards (the little-known fourth card type - Monsters, Spells, Traps, Viruses - which were released as Normal Trap Cards in the OCG), and Transformation Monsters (which we discussed a while back).  
**


End file.
